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(No Model.)

A. E. HUNGERPORD.

SAP SPOUT.

- No. 286,443. Patented Oct. 9, 1883.

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Nrrn' STATES ARTHUR- HUXGERFORD, OF LOW'VILLE, ASSIGNOIt OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES L. ATVVOOD, OF CLAYTON, NEW YORK.

SAP-SPOUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,443, dated October 9, 1883.

Application filed March 27.1883. (No model.) 7

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. ARTHUR E. HUNGER- ronn, of Lowville, in the county of Lewis and State of New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Sap-spouts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is an improvement in sapspcuts, and has for its object to provide a simple, cheap, and-effective device whereby the flow of sap is accelerated and made more uniform, and also to construct a spout in such a manner that it will be less liable to break or buckle when driven into the tree, and thus retain its shape after repeated use.

To this end my invention consists of a spout composed of a single piece of tin or equivalent sheetmetal constructed in the form of a truncated cone; further, it consists in the method of joining the meeting edges of the metal; and, finally, in partially closing up the orifice of the spout, so as to prevent the hardening or drying of the wood about the opening in the tree by exposure to the air, and consequent cessation of the flow. I

Heretofore in this class of spouts it has been the custom to make a joint by overlapping one edge of the metal upon the other, which is objectionable for the reason that when it is driven into the tree the joint is unable to stand the strain upon it, and therefore buckles at that point, thus rendering the spout defective and unfit'for use on other trees. My method of joining the edges obviates this difficulty In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is and Fig 3 a modification.

In the drawings, A represents a sap-spout, which is offrusto-conical form, made of sheet metal. of suitable thickness, the smaller end of which is adapted to be driven into the.

hole bored in the tree to receive it, and in which it fits tightly. It is evident that there is great strain upon the joint at the meeting edges of the metal as the spout is being driven, and if the joint is not sufficiently strong, or the circumference'not perfectly cylindrical in cross-section, this strain will cause the joint to part and the metal to buckle, thus rendering the spout unfit for further use. To resist this strain and strengthen the spout, I form the joint by bringing the edges a b of the metal squarely together, as shown, and as the strain upon the spout is approximately equal at all points, this construction enables the spout to withstand great strain, for, manifestly, pressure upon the outer circumference will only have the efiect of driving the edges closer together. The edges may be further secured against displacement by solder; but under ordinary circumstances this will not be necessary.

The second part of my invention is adapted to regulate the flow of the sap by protecting the opening in the tree from the direct action of the air, which tends to close the p oresthrough which the sap flows, and thus lessen the amount, sometimes stopping the fiow altogether, requiring a fresh incision. This is shown very clearly in the figures, and consists of a plate or deflector, B, secured within the spout near the end which enters the tree. This plate is so placed that it is in the same vertical plane with the ends of the point where it is secured, and therefore, as.

or it may be in clined toward the front, if

the plate is fixed to the inner upper side of the spout, there is a space (marked a) left between the edge of the plate and the bottom of the spout. of sufficient size to allow the sap to flow out freely. It will be understood that this plate or deflector acts as a shield against the wind, thereby preventing the wood about the incision from becoming dry, and thus keeping the flow uniform. Instead of rigidly securing this deflector to the roof of the spout, I may hinge itthereto, as shown in the modification, and allow it to swing outward as the amount of sap increases beyond the capacity of the ordinary outlet. In this construction I provide a stop, d, as shown, to prevent the hinged plate from entirely closing the opening.

The end of the spout which enters the tree may be provided with small openings, as shown, to allow the sap to enter the spout at all points. I also provide the ordinary lip, to hold the buckets in place while they are filling.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A sap-spout of the form described, com- 5 posed of a single thickness of metal, and having its meeting edges abutting squarely, so as to form an arch, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a sap-spout, a deflector or shield secured Within said spout, and 10 operating substantially as described.

. 3. A sapspout ofthe described shape, having an arched joint, a b, a shield, B, perforations (1, and lip 6, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two I 5 subscribing witnesses.

Y ARTHUR E. HUNGERFORD. Witnesses: t

J AMES L. ATWooD, M. W. ATWOOD. 

